Lesotho Facts | Sponsor a Child in Lesotho | World Vision Explore areas where you can help us build a better world for children. Sponsor a Child in Lesotho «Previous Child is waiting for a World Vision sponsor. is years old and lives in . Progress in Lesotho Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. World Vision was able to work alongside communities to accomplish the following in 2014. Children, parents, and community leaders were trained in child rights and prevention of child abuse to ensure the protection of children. We partnered with churches to strengthen the spiritual lives of community members through Bible schools, reconciliation workshops, and care team trainings. With our help, communities established disaster preparedness plans to mitigate the impact of natural disasters such as droughts. High school students improved their math and reading skills after we provided them with new textbooks and organized school competitions for them in these subjects. We increased food security year round by training families to grow their own fruits and vegetables and to preserve extra food through drying and canning methods. We empowered community members, church leaders, children, and youth to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and care for those affected by HIV and AIDS.

+ World Vision in Lesotho Today World Vision is committed to partnering with the people of Lesotho to improve their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their children, families, and communities. World Vision’s child sponsorship program plays a vital role in this partnership, with donors from the United States sponsoring more than 23,900 girls and boys. In addition to sponsorship, World Vision operates other programs that benefit communities in Lesotho. Highlights include: Ensuring children have access to quality education in improved facilities. Helping enhance good health for people living with HIV by implementing nutrition programs. Helping build over 70 houses for orphans to protect them from harsh weather conditions. + World Vision History in Lesotho World Vision child sponsorship in Lesotho dates back to 1976, with child sponsorship programs in two schools; an office was opened in 1987. Since then, some of World Vision’s major accomplishments have included: Providing nutritional programs, clean drinking water, and sanitation facilities, as well as meeting farming needs during the 1980s.

Supplying meals for malnourished children and offering women vocational training to help them generate income in the late 1980s through the 1990s. Distributing food, toiletries, and fuel and offering recovery assistance programs to families affected by the Southern Africa food crisis in the 21st century. + Geography & People Geography and people Lesotho is a small, mountainous, independent nation completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is the only independent state in the world that lies entirely above 4,500 feet in elevation — in fact, 80 percent of the country lies above 5,900 feet. Due to its altitude, Lesotho remains cool throughout most of the year. The nation’s most important, yet scarce, resource is water for hydroelectricity. Other natural resources include farming and grazing land, sand, clay, building stone, and diamonds. The Basotho make up over 99 percent of Lesotho’s population and have lived in Southern Africa for nearly 600 years. Sesotho and English are both official languages, while Zulu, Xhosa, and French also are spoken.

In rural areas, many extended families live together in a compound. The compound includes several buildings, a garden, and living space for animals. Everyone contributes to the upkeep and maintenance by doing chores, cooking, caring for the animals, and other tasks. History After 100 years under British protection, Lesotho became an independent nation in October 1966 with King Moshoeshoe II as sovereign. Political unrest after the 1970 elections led to a revision of the constitution and a lessening of the king’s power in politics. In February 1990, the chairman of the military council stripped the king of his executive power, paving the way for Moshoeshoe’s son to be sworn in as King Letsie III. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded new parliamentary elections in 1998. Riots destroyed nearly 80 percent of commercial infrastructure in major towns and stalled what had been a steadily growing economy. Troops from South Africa and Botswana entered the country to suppress a mutiny. Lesotho held peaceful elections in 2002, but disputes continue over recent elections.

+ Prayer Requests for Lesotho Please pray for continued partnerships to build clean water systems and provide sanitary latrines in homes and schools. Pray also for families cultivating small gardens to be able to feed their children and prevent malnutrition. 10% Fundraising Lesotho: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Mountainous Lesotho, the size of Maryland, is surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Government Parliamentary constitutional monarchy. History Lesotho (formerly Basutoland) was constituted as a native state under British protection by a treaty signed with the native chief Moshoeshoe in 1843. It was annexed to Cape Colony in 1871, but in 1884 it was restored to direct control by the Crown. The colony of Basutoland became the independent nation of Lesotho on Oct. 4, 1966, with King Moshoeshoe II as sovereign.

In the 1970 elections, Ntsu Mokhehle, head of the Basutoland Congress Party, claimed a victory, but Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan declared a state of emergency, suspended the constitution, and arrested Mokhehle. King Moshoeshoe II was briefly exiled. After the king refused to approve the replacement in Feb. 1990 of individuals dismissed by Justin Metsino Lekhanya, the chairman of the military council, the latter stripped the king of his executive power. Then in early March, Lekhanya sent the king into exile. In November, the king was dethroned, and his son was sworn in as King Letsie III. Lekhanya was himself forced to resign in April 1991, and Col. Ramaema became the new chairman in May. In Jan. 1995, he abdicated in favor of his father , Moshoeshoe II. Letsie again became crown prince. In 1996, however, King Moshoeshoe died in an automobile accident, and Letsie again assumed the throne.

In fall 1998, hundreds of demonstrators protested for weeks in front of the king's palace, claiming voting fraud in the May elections that put Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili in power. They demanded that the government step down and hold new elections. Troops from South Africa and Botswana entered the country to stop the riots and put down an army mutiny. In 2002, Mosisili was reelected under a revised political system that gave opposition parties a larger role in Parliament. Lesotho faces one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world. Lesotho Facts, Facts about Lesotho Lesotho Facts Where is Lesotho? The Kingdom of Lesotho is an enclave surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. "Lesotho" roughly translates to " the land of the people who speak Sesotho". Its total area is 11,583 square miles, and it has an estimated population of 2,067,000. What is the capital of Lesotho? Maseru is the capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital of Maseru District.

It borders South Africa. After the country became a British protectorate in 1869, the city was assigned as the capital. It retained its status as capital even after the independence of the kingdom in 1966. What is the currency of Lesotho? The currency of the Kingdom of Lesotho is Lesotho loti. Its ISO 4217 code is LSL. It is further divided into 100 lisente. Both South African rand and loti are accepted as legal tender within the kingdom. It is pegged to the rand on a 1:1 basis. Which is the largest city of Lesotho? The capital, Maseru is the largest city of the kingdom. It was founded by the British as a police camp in 1869. It is the only sizable city in the country, and is located near the South African border, denoted by the Mohokare River. The city covers a total area of 53.3 square miles and has an estimated population of 227,880. What is the official language of Lesotho?

English and Sesotho (or Sotho) are the official and administrative languages of the country. What is the religion of Lesotho? The constitution provides for freedom of religion. The largest religion in Lesotho is Christianity (90%). Roman Catholics represent 45% of the population, same as the Protestants. The remaining 10% of the population are Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Bahais. What is the literacy rate of Lesotho? Literacy rate of Lesotho is 82%. Primary education is not free. It has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa. Who is the political leader of Lesotho? Lesotho government is a modified form of a constitutional monarchy. The prime minister is the head of the government. The monarch serves a ceremonial function and does not possess any executive authority. Executive power is exercised by the government while legislative power is vested in both the parliament and the government. The prime minister of the country is Pakalitha Mosisili. He assumed office on May 29, 1998. Letsie III (born David Mohato Bereng Seeiso) is the reigning king of Lesotho. What is the emblem of Lesotho?

The coat of arms depicts a Basotho shield with a picture of crocodile on it. Behind the shield are two crossed weapons. The shield is supported by two Basutho horses. At the bottom there is a ribbon with the national motto of Lesotho "Khotso, Pula, Nala" (Peace, Rain, Prosperity). It was adopted on October 4, 1966. When is the national day of Lesotho celebrated? The national day of Lesotho is celebrated on October 4. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom on October 4, 1966 under King Moshoeshoe. What is the economy of Lesotho like? Lesotho has no major natural resources other than diamonds and water. It sells water to South Africa and is self-sufficient for its electricity needs through hydro-electric schemes. Agriculture contributes about 14% to the GDP. The GDP of the country is 5.124 billion dollars. It receives economic aid from United States of America, the World Bank, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

It exports wool and mohair, food and live animals to its export partners Hong Kong, China, India, South Korea and Germany. It imports food, petroleum products, machinery, vehicles and medicines from United States of America and Canada. Landlocked Countries - Geolounge Landlocked Countries 39 Total Shares A country is considered landlocked when it is surrounded on all sides by one or more other countries and therefore has no direct access to a coastline providing access to the oceans . Ad: How Many Countries are Landlocked? There are currently 48 countries (including four partially recognized states) that are completely surrounded by at least one other country. With the exception of two countries in South America (Bolivia and Paraguay) the rest of these 46 countries are found in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Map of Landlocked Countries Map of landlocked countries. There are 42 landlocked (green) and two double-landlocked (purple) countries . Map: NuclearVacuum ( Wikipedia ) Landlocked by a Single Country There are three countries that are completely landlocked (i.e. surrounded on all sides) by only country. Two of these countries are founded within the country of Italy.

These single-country landlocked countries are: Lesotho which is surrounded by South Africa, San Marino, a state surrounded by Italy, and Vatican City which is a city-state surrounded by Rome, the capitol city of Italy. Double-Landlocked Countries Landlocked countries that are separated from the nearest ocean coastline but not one, but two countries, are known as double-landlocked or doubly-landlocked countries. The first country that is double-landlocked is the microstate of Liechtenstein located in central Europe which is immediately surrounded by the landlocked countries of Austria and Switzerland. The second country is located in central Asia, Uzbekistan which is surrounded by the landlocked countries of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Largest and Smallest Landlocked Countries The largest landlocked country is Kazakhstan in Central Asia with a land area of over 2.7 million kilometers. The smallest landlocked country is the city-state of Vatican City with an area of just 44 hectares (109 acres).

List of Landlocked Countries Lesotho Map / Geography of Lesotho / Map of Lesotho - Worldatlas.com Print this map Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a mountainous, landlocked country completely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa , that was first settled by Bantu speaking people who called themselves the Basotho. During the 19th century, the Basothos fought a series of wars, under the ruling of Moshoeshoe, against Boer settlers from the Netherlands , resulting in an extensive loss of land. By 1868, the land (known as Basutoland) was placed under British protection, and the Boers were ordered to leave. In 1869 a treaty between the Boers and British was signed defining boundaries between the two. Unrest soon followed for the Basotho peoples, and they began fighting amongst themselves over the new land divisions. The Boers inability to control their territory resulted in the British regaining authority in 1884, and when the Union of South Africa was founded in 1910 Britain moved to transfer Basutoland into the new Union - much to the opposition of the people.

The annexation was suspended, and in 1959 the new constitution allowed Basutoland its first elected legislature. On October 4, 1966, Basutoland attained full independence, and was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled until 1970, then a "de facto" government ruled until 1986 when a military coup forced the leader, Dr. Leabua Jonathan, out of office. Executive powers were then granted to the ceremonial monarch, King Moshoeshoe II. However, in 1987, the King was exiled after he prepared a document indicating how he wanted additional executive powers. His son, Letsie III, became King. In 1993, democratic government returned and Moshoeshoe II returned from exile as a regular citizen. In 1994, King Letsie III entered into negotiations to reinstate his father as the head of state. Letsie III abdicated the throne in favor of his father in 1995, but in January 1996, assumed the throne again after Moshoeshoe II died in an automobile accident.

In 1998 the electoral structure of the country was reviewed, and the result was a brand new electoral system, one that ensured that the opposition would be represented in the National Assembly. Successful elections were held under this new system in May 2002. Lesotho now has a parliamentary form of government, with the Prime Minister as head and with executive authority. The king no longer possesses any executive authority, and is prohibited from participating in political initiatives and serves primarily in a ceremonial capacity. Lesotho's main economy is based on the exportation of diamonds along with water sold to South Africa . Regardless, nearly 40% of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day. See Also Southern African Development Community Lesotho Lesotho The Kingdom of Lesotho is situated in the south eastern region of Southern Africa, covering an area of 30,355 km² and is entirely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho’s geographical formation is characterised by high mountains and deep valleys, and it is the only country in the world to have all its entire territory located at more than 1,000 metres above sea level.

More than 75 % of Lesotho is mountainous, with only 25 % considered lowland. The lowest point is 1,388 metres rising to almost 3,500 metres in the Maloti mountain range which forms the border with South Africa to the north east and south west. Lesotho has a continental climate, with four distinct seasons and extremes of temperature. Spring is from August to October, summer extends from November to the end of January. Autumn, which runs from February to April, is harvest time in Lesotho and lastly winter months from May to July bring snow with dry, sunny days and cold nights. Temperatures do not get unbearably high, due to the altitude. Temperatures can drop as low as -10 °C. The population of Lesotho is about 1,879,000 (2011). The vast majority of the population is Basotho with small groups of Europeans and Asians. Lesotho is inhabited by the Basotho people and the official languages are Sesotho and English. The capital is Maseru, with other major population centres being Mafeteng and Roma.

In October 1966, Lesotho gained independence from British rule with King Moshoeshoe II appointed as its ruler. The democratic elections held in 2002 installed a new government focused on good governance, accountability, transparency, and the participation of people in the decisions that affect their lives. The King is the Head of State. The manufacturing subsector, mainly driven by textile and clothing industries, has since 2001, dominated Lesotho’s exports destined mainly for the United States and South Africa. This sub-sector is the pillar of Lesotho’s economy, as a result, its deceleration had an adverse impact on the overall economy. The performance of the sector deteriorated, owing to the end of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing in January 2005, which resulted in the closure of a number of textile firms. Nearly 85 % of Basotho households live in rural areas and about 70 % derive part of their income from agriculture. The construction sub-sector (the second largest contributor to real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 2.0 % in value-added in contrast to a 0.4 % rise recorded in 2004.

In 2005, the tertiary sector was the main contributor to GDP at a share of 44.8 %. Mining sector is a marginal contributor to GDP, although Lesotho is believed to have significant mineral deposits including diamonds, uranium, base metal, high quality stone and clay. The Lesotho Highlands are the country's main tourist attraction. Spectacular cliff formations and deep gorges are found in the Maloti and Drakensberg mountain ranges in the south of the country. The Maloti/ Drakensberg, a world heritage site, are home to some 2,500 species of plants and contain the world's richest concentrations of Stone Age rock art, with more than 30,000 individual paintings recorded. Landmarks in Lesotho include Mount Qilone, and Thaba Bosio, a fortress stronghold where the kings of Lesotho are traditionally buried. Thabana Ntlenyana, at 3,483 metres, is the highest mountain in Southern Africa, whilst Maletsunyane Falls is one of the tallest single-drop waterfalls in the region plunging for 192 metres and Sehlabe-Thebe National Park.

Country Profile Lesotho country profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel The Kingdom of Lesotho is made up mostly of highlands where many of the villages can be reached only on horseback, by foot or light aircraft. Resources are scarce - a consequence of the harsh environment of the highland plateau and limited agricultural space in the lowlands. The former British protectorate has been heavily dependent on the country which completely surrounds it - South Africa. Over the decades thousands of workers have been forced by the lack of job opportunities to find work at South African mines. And the Lesotho Highlands Water Project was completed in the 1990s to export water to South Africa. Read more country profiles - Profiles by BBC Monitoring FACTS Area 30,355 sq km (11,720 sq miles) Major languages Sesotho, English Life expectancy 50 years (men), 48 years (women) Currency loti Head of state: King Letsie III Image copyright Getty Images King Letsie III succeeded his father, King Moshoeshoe, who was dethroned in 1990.

Five years later, after the return to civilian government and amid political instability, he abdicated and his father was reinstated as monarch. Letsie III was restored as king in 1996 after his father died in a car accident. The monarch has no legislative or executive powers. Prime minister: Pakalitha Mosisili Image copyright Getty Images Pakalitha Mosisili heads a coalition government formed after early elections held in February 2015. The elections were brought forward by nearly two years after the previous prime minister Thomas Thabane briefly fled to South Africa in August 2014, alleging a coup. South Africa was involved in mediating during the crisis. Mr Mosisili's Democratic Congress (DC) ousted former premier Thabane's All Basotho Congress (ABC) by uniting with smaller parties, forming Lesotho's second consecutive coalition government after the election produced no clear winner. MEDIA Image copyright Getty Images Radio is the most-popular medium. As well as domestic outlets, South African radio and TV stations can be received. Lesotho: From Labor Reserve to Depopulating Periphery? | migrationpolicy.org Lesotho: From Labor Reserve to Depopulating Periphery?

You are here Lesotho: From Labor Reserve to Depopulating Periphery? May 2, 2012 Profile By Jim Cobbe There is a long tradition of men from Lesotho migrating for work in South African gold mines. Lesotho is an enclave entirely surrounded by South Africa, with a population that has been estimated variously at anywhere from 1.9 million by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 2011 to 2.2 million by South African sources in 2009. Ethnically, the people of Lesotho are almost wholly Basotho, but a key to understanding migration in and out of Lesotho is that, while exact numbers are difficult to gauge, more ethnic Basotho live in South Africa than in Lesotho. Further, a long history of close interaction exists between the two countries.

One notable survey of this nature, taken in Lesotho in 2003, found that 37 percent of the people interviewed reported a family member working in South Africa, 26 percent reported a family member permanently settled there, 21 percent had sought medical care there, and 18 percent acknowledged possessing South African identification documents. Lesotho once had the distinction of having a higher proportion of its labor force temporarily employed outside its borders than any other country. For most of the 20th century, as much as half the adult male population worked on a temporary basis in South Africa, predominantly in the gold mines but also in most other sectors of the South African economy. Until the tightening of border controls mid-century, many Basotho also migrated permanently, albeit technically illegally, to South Africa. With the heightened opposition to apartheid from the late 1950s and the coming of majority rule in South Africa in 1994, substantial changes occurred regarding how migration is experienced in Lesotho. Six main changes to Lesotho's migration experience transpired over the last 60 years or so. First, as opposition to apartheid grew, increasing numbers of political refugees from South Africa entered Lesotho.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, these refugees formed a distinct exile community, particularly in the capital city of Maseru. After South African armed attacks on exile housing, the numbers of political refugees dwindled as they moved to safer locales further north or outside of Africa altogether. After 1994, almost all exiles had left Lesotho as South Africa's apartheid system crumbled. Second, the number of workers from Lesotho in the mines of South Africa increased substantially as real wages rose in the 1970s and 1980s and Lesotho became a preferred source of labor. Their numbers have since declined — dramatically since the late 1990s onward — initially as a result of mechanization and relative stagnation in gold mining, and later partly because of a preference for South African labor. Third, there has been a constant and debilitating brain drain from Lesotho to South Africa and, to some extent, to Botswana and other African countries a bit earlier. This emigration includes skilled workers, especially those in professional and technical fields.

Fourth, some former migrant workers became legal permanent residents of South Africa in the late 1990s, following changes in South African law. Fifth, with continued relative economic stagnation and political upheavals in Lesotho and the drying up of migration opportunities for the unskilled, growing numbers of clandestine migrants have attempted to find work in South Africa, especially in the less-regulated parts of its economy such as farming and domestic service. A high, if unknowable, proportion of these migrants are believed to be female. Lastly, a new group of economic inward migrants to Lesotho has emerged: ethnic Chinese from East Asia, who now constitute the largest group of foreign residents ever to live in the country. Problems with Numbers Lesotho was one of the largest sources of Black labor in South African mining for well over a century. In the heyday of South African reliance on Basotho labor in the gold mines, to work in the mines for at least a year or two was a normal part of becoming an adult for men from Lesotho. From the late 1940s through the early 1970s, most able-bodied men could obtain a contract as a novice to work in the mines.

However, at that time, mine wages for Blacks were low, no higher in real terms in 1969 than before World War I, and not sufficient to maintain a family in Lesotho. Most migrants therefore worked several contracts to save enough money to pay a bride price, and then "retired" to farming in Lesotho. Black miners were, until the 1990s, always regarded by both employers and the state in South Africa as temporary, oscillating migrants. This notion, together with the restrictions on entry into South Africa from Lesotho (which were essentially nonexistent until mid-century, but then became progressively tighter) means that all data on migration from Lesotho to South Africa are highly suspect. Ordinarily, countries will try to distinguish between two kinds of migrants — temporary and permanent. But the institutional arrangements in Southern Africa result in some complications: Many migrants have strong motivations to hide their origin and/or intent, and many more may be regarded, because of the institutional arrangements, as being in one category when their actual intent and behaviors are consistent with the other.

Part of the problem is that there are more ethnic Basotho who are South African citizens than there are Lesotho citizens, and there is a long history of movement of persons entering and exiting the country. Thus, ambiguity about legal residence is not unusual. The 2003 survey response cited — 18 percent of interviewees in Lesotho acknowledged having South African identification documents — emphasizes how widespread ambiguity about legalities is. Two examples may help to make this point. Until recently, all mineworkers were legally temporary migrants. But after the mid 1980s, when recruitment of new novices to the mines essentially ceased and total mine employment started falling, miners from Lesotho had to behave as permanent migrants, whether they intended to return to Lesotho eventually or not. The reason was that, following a period of home leave at the end of a contract, if they did not return to their mine on or before their recall date, they would lose their job permanently. Further, those who had lived in South Africa for five years were permitted to vote in the 1994 election, and since then those with long residence have been permitted to have their families join them and seek permanent residence in South Africa.

Around the same time, noticeable numbers of professional Basotho obtained employment in South Africa after 1994, including in government service. The latter normally had to either claim South African citizenship or have some other basis for legal residence (such as a spouse with legal residence). Many of these professionals and other high-skilled Basotho migrants privately express every intention of returning to Lesotho eventually, but to retain their employment in South Africa they have to categorize themselves as permanent migrants. Such problems are present in measuring migrant movements in all cases in which there are clandestine flows. However, in the southern African context, there are added problems of genuine ambiguity of status and frequent reasons to doubt that official classification as temporary or permanent corresponds to the individual's true intent. Published estimates of the numbers of Lesotho-origin Basotho in South Africa range from 100,000 to around half a million in a report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, to the World Bank estimate of the stock of emigrants in 2010 at 427,500. At the same time, Basotho refers to ethnic Sotho, as opposed to Lesotho citizens.

At the minimum, about 1.5 million (though probably closer to 2 million) Lesotho citizens are Basotho (speak Sesotho as their native tongue), whereas in the 2001 South Africa census about 4 million Basotho (citizens with Sesotho as home language) resided in South Africa. Thus — although many sources give precise numbers for different categories of migrants in South Africa and Lesotho — except for instances in which the number is given for something with a clear definition (e.g., numbers of mineworkers officially recruited), all such migrant estimates should be treated with considerable caution. Migrant Labor and South African Mining South African sources suggest that total employment in mining peaked in 1987 at about 673,000. The total number of foreign-born African mineworkers had probably peaked 14 years earlier at about 340,000 (65.2 percent of the then total) in 1973.

However, in the 1970s and 1980s, Lesotho was a preferred source of mineworkers, and the number of miners from Lesotho in South Africa (using Lesotho sources) probably peaked in 1990 at over 127,000 — then well over half of the total foreign-born mine labor force of about 224,000. The number of miners at that time more than outnumbered the number of persons with formal wage jobs in Lesotho, a situation that persisted until the late 1990s. Since 1990, the numbers of miners overall, and from Lesotho in particular, have fallen fairly rapidly. Total employment in South African mining bottomed out in 2001 at 406,000, before recovering a little. Now that the mines prefer South African workers, who can more easily be "stabilized," migrants from Lesotho have been retrenched, so that by late 2010 the number of mineworkers from Lesotho was estimated to be fewer than 43,000.

The consequences for Lesotho of the end of new legal migration to work in South African mines and the retrenchment of migrants have been devastating. They have been exacerbated by population growth, political instability, drought, continuing soil erosion, and the peculiarities of the country's limited economic development. Lesotho, with a 23 percent HIV/AIDS prevalence rate believed to be among the highest in the world, has the distinction of being the only country in southern Africa in which more men than women are HIV positive. This is a result of the relative affluence of former miners, when they had jobs and lived in single-sex hostels at the mines. Meanwhile, agricultural output has fallen by about 40 percent in the last 20 years, and few returned migrants have access to good agricultural land. In recent years, Lesotho has qualified under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), under which African countries that meet certain criteria qualify for preferential access to the U.S. market for certain goods, notably apparel. This has helped spur a rapid expansion of the textile and garment industry, which was originally established to evade sanctions against South African exports during the apartheid era.

The expansion created tens of thousands of jobs, but almost exclusively for women; the garment factories do not employ men as operatives. Rural poverty in Lesotho has reemerged with a vengeance, after a brief period of prosperity in the 1970s and 1980s following the rapid increase in the real wages of African mineworkers in South Africa. Poverty is now accompanied by recurrent hunger, as increasing proportions of rural residents are no longer able to grow food. Remittances from migrants, almost entirely through informal channels, continue to be a vital source of income in Lesotho. The World Bank estimates that remittances amounted to 29 percent of the country's gross domestic product in 2010 — the second-highest proportion for any country in the world. Brain Drain There is a long history of educated Black Africans moving back and forth between Lesotho and South Africa. During the apartheid era, many Black (and some White) South Africans chose employment in Lesotho over discrimination in South Africa, and made important contributions to health care, education, government, and the professional sector in Lesotho.

In the opposite direction, a number of individuals born in Lesotho rose to prominence in South Africa, perhaps the best known being Potlako Leballo, who became leader of the Pan African Congress of South Africa. In the 1970s and 1980s, expatriates from the rest of Anglophone Africa joined the South African exiles in Lesotho. But by the late 1970s, there were also movements from Lesotho to South Africa, initially to the Bantustans (independent all-Black enclaves set up under apartheid), and then to public and private employers throughout the South African economy in the 1990s. There are no reliable estimates of the numbers of persons involved, but as a proportion of the stock of educated workers in Lesotho, and especially of the more talented ones, the movement is very significant. The World Bank estimates that one-third of Lesotho-born physicians have emigrated. Partly as a result of this, the Lesotho government has had to turn to foreign-born physicians to fill health care needs.

This brain drain is, of course, driven by the substantially higher remuneration, stronger prospects for advancement, and far better social and infrastructural environment available in South Africa. National income per person in South Africa is almost four times higher than in Lesotho, even by purchasing power parity estimates, and the actual monetary differential is larger. As early as the 1970s, when mine wages started their upward movement, there were widespread stories of male teachers leaving schools in Lesotho to take jobs in South African mines (usually on the surface), and numerous cases of university academics and government professionals leaving Lesotho for equivalent posts at two to three times the salary or more in Bantustans. Since around 1994, the floodgates have opened, and many of Lesotho's skilled workers have found employment, one way or another, in South Africa. A large salary differential between Lesotho and South Africa remains today, resulting in Lesotho's continuing shortages of doctors, nurses, accountants, engineers, many kinds of skilled manual workers, and other professionals. Basotho with strong qualifications continue to seek better opportunities across the border or, in the case of medical personnel, further afield.

In fact, Basotho nurses are known to have been recruited to work in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Unauthorized Immigrants Until the 1950s, Black Africans from Lesotho (then Basutoland) were treated within South Africa just like South African Blacks. When it became clear that Basutoland and the two other former High Commission Territories would not be incorporated into South Africa, border controls were imposed and progressively tightened. However, the border is of the kind that can never be sealed. In the Western lowlands, the border is a river that for much of the year can be walked across, while much of the rest of it is in mountainous territory that prohibits practical and effective fencing. So when crossing the border evading controls has always been possible. Furthermore, crossing at official control points is often feasible without documents permitting residence or employment — Basotho have always visited South Africa to shop, seek medical treatment, or make social visits, and South Africans enter Lesotho for similar reasons.

In fact, a 2011 research report by the University of the Orange Free State estimated that border crossings between Lesotho and the Free State (a South African province) have increased tenfold over the past 20 years. Once in South Africa, a person from Lesotho can seek employment or self-employment in the large informal sector with relatively little fear of detection, and not much risk of deportation if detected. And even if deported, return to South Africa is easy. As a result, the long history of unrecorded migration for economic and social reasons to South Africa from Lesotho continues, and there is no real way to know the scope of illegal immigration. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in both the Free State and Gauteng, which have large ethnic Sotho populations of South African citizens, migrants from Lesotho are found throughout the economy and include some prominent and successful entrepreneurs, in addition to many others in marginal occupations such as domestic service, hawking, and various illegal activities. Although both governments have rejected political integration, each understands the complexities of these movements of people. An agreement signed in 2007 eased cross-border border movement, meant to reduce the long queues visible at border posts.

Given the large income differentials between the two countries, and Lesotho's substantial disadvantages as a location for economic activity within Southern Africa, it is a safe prediction that over the coming decades a substantial portion of Lesotho's population will move to South Africa, at least for much of their working lives. The Chinese in Lesotho Since the late 19th century, a small number of families of South Asian descent in Lesotho as a result of migration from the South African province of Natal. Other nonindigenous groups have been confined to small numbers of families of European ancestry who originally came as missionaries, traders, or colonial officials, and who chose to stay. Additionally, a few Chinese entered Lesotho soon after independence in 1966, when Lesotho recognized the government of Taiwan rather than that of Beijing. Around that time few private investments were made, and there was some aid from the Taiwanese government. However, the last 15 years have seen a substantial change. Although Lesotho now recognizes Beijing, the boom in textile and apparel manufacturing in Lesotho has been financed almost wholly by investors from Taiwan, who have brought in skilled workers and managers from the mainland.

The Nien Hsing Denim Mill, for example, is a large factory reported to have had around 500 Chinese staff in addition to its 3,000 Basotho employees at its peak. In the past decade, Chinese migrants have also moved into retail trade throughout the country, so that even in remote rural districts many shops are run by Chinese. Chinese migrants have also established themselves in construction, with the result that Chinese firms are winning contracts for a majority of new buildings. The Chinese Embassy now estimates that there are close to 5,000 Chinese nationals in Lesotho, out of the fewer than 7,000 total foreign-born residents estimated by the World Bank. Conclusion Three recent developments illustrate both the complexity of the migration relationship between Lesotho and South Africa, and the importance of its historical aspects. In recent years, there has been increasing concern in South Africa about clandestine crossings by migrants and cross-border crime, particularly with respect to livestock theft, but also concerning vehicles and drugs. To combat such crime, the South African Defense Force has been deployed to the border with Lesotho to reinforce the South African Police. Second, a South African lawyer working with the U.S.

firm Motley Rice has signed up some 7,000 former miners, many of them from Lesotho, for a class-action suit against the mining companies for compensation for silicosis developed as a result of mine work. If this suit succeeds, the settlement could have a substantial impact on the standard of living for many households in poor, rural areas in Lesotho. Third, continued high unemployment in South Africa is resulting in more popular and political attention to the issue of migrants: An opinion piece by the editor of the English-language Sowetan newspaper (South Africa) argues they "are winning the job battle" by accepting lower wages than unemployed South Africans will accept. Because Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa, cross-border movements are inevitable. It has always been and will always be true that what happens in Lesotho will be heavily influenced by what happens in South Africa, and perhaps, to some extent, the other way around. The volume and nature of migration between the two countries is thus inextricably linked to each nation's policy, economic, and social realities. Sources Ambrose, David P. 1994—2011.

Summary of Events in Lesotho (quarterly), Roma, Lesotho: National University of Lesotho. Benton, Shaun. 2007. "SA, Lesotho to ease borders," South Africa Info. June 22, 2007. Available Online . Chamber of Mines of South Africa. 2010. Facts and Figures 2010. Available Online . Crush, Jonathan and James, Wilmot (eds). 1995. Crossing Boundaries: Mine Migrancy in a Democratic South Africa, Cape Town: IDASA. Crush, Jonathan, et al. 2010. Migration, Remittances, and 'Development' in Lesotho. Migration Policy Series No. 52; Cape Town: IDASA. Hawker, Dianne. 2012. "Silicosis case boost for poor litigants," Independent Online, April 2, 2012. Available Online . Thahane, Timothy T. Budget Speech to Parliament for the 2011/2012 Fiscal Year.

Maseru, Lesotho: Ministry of Finance and Development Planning: February 14, 2011. Available Online . McDonald, David and Jonathan Crush (eds). 2002. Destinations Unknown: Perspectives on the Brain Drain in Southern Africa. Pretoria: Africa Institute of South Africa. Mkabela, Mpumelelo. 2012. "Foreign Labour is winning the battle for jobs in SA," Daily Dispatch, April 5, 2012. Available Online . Simelane, Sandile E. 1999. Trend in International Migration: Migration among Professionals, Semi-Professionals, and Miners in South Africa, 1970 — 1997. Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. Wohlmuth, Karl, et al. (eds). 1997. African Development Perspectives Yearbook 1996: Regional Perspectives on Labour and Employment. Munster, Germany: Lit Verlag. World Bank. 2011. Migration and Development Brief 17. Washington, DC. World Bank. 2011. The Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011.

Washington, DC. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT Source@MigrationPolicy.org Lesotho - Country Profile - Kingdom of Lesotho - South Africa Kingdom of Lesotho Capital City: Maseru (1997 pop. est. 386 000) Other Cities: Teyateyaneng (pop. est. 240 754), Leribe (300 160), Mafeteng (211 970), Mohale's Hoek (184 034). Government: Independence: 4 October 1966. (from 1868 until independence Lesotho was placed under British protection.) Geography: Area : 30,355 sq. km. (11 718 sq. mi.). Terrain: High veld, plateau and mountains. Climate: Temperate; summers hot, winters cool to cold; humidity generally low and evenings cool year round. Rainy season in summer, winters dry. Southern hemisphere seasons are reversed. People: Nationality: Noun--Mosotho (sing.); Basotho (pl.) Adjective--Basotho.

Population : 2.2 million (2010, UN estimate) Ethnic groups: Basotho 99.7%; Europeans 1,600; Asians 3,000. Religions: 80% Christian, including Roman Catholic (majority), Lesotho Evangelical, Anglican, other denominations. Languages : Official--Sesotho and English. Others--Zulu, Xhosa. Literacy: (1998) 70%. Natural resources: Water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals. Lesotho is an exporter of excess labor. Agriculture products: Corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock. Industries: Food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts; construction; tourism. Imports partners: Hong Kong 36.6%, Taiwan 36.2%, China 12%, Germany 9.9% (2003) Currency: In 1980, Lesotho introduced its own currency: Loti (plural Maloti). It is equivalent to the South African Rand.

Background: Lesotho is a democratic, sovereign and independent country with the unique characteristic of being totally surrounded by its neighbour, the Republic of South Africa. The country formerly known as Basutoland was renamed to the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. In 1993 after 23 years of military rule, a new constitution was implemented leaving the King without any executive authority and proscribing him from engaging in political affairs. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002. However Lesotho is one of three remaining monarchies in Africa.

(Source: CIA - The World Factbook) : Shapes of States Shapes of States By: Kupiec and Carbon on: Thu 06 of May, 2010 22:27 CDT (29263 Reads) Fragmented States 2 types: those separated by water, and those separated by other countries Contain several discontinuous pieces of territory Makes communication difficult More difficult for people in remote areas to integrate with rest of state Can encourage national integration when people migrate from sparsely populated areas to more densely populated areas May have many resources Nations such as Indonesia is an example. Also known as an archipelagic state. Difficult to govern a country composed of islands because direct communication can be hindered due to the obstacles standing in the way between the areas. Also difficult to fend off from enemy states due to the vast amounts of islands that a state may consist of. Denmark and the Philippines are also archipelagic countries separated by water.

Elongated States Shape is long and narrow At risk of poor communication as not all areas might have access to capital Diversity in climate and environment Areas at the extreme ends might be isolated from the capital (usually in center) Example: Italy, Chile, Malawi Long and narrow shape May suffer from poor internal communication because not every region may have access to the capital. For example, if the capital were to be in the middle of an elongated state that stretches mostly north and south, then parts of the state that are east and west of the capital would receive communication and affects of power faster than the ends of the state that are north and south of the capital because the north and south ends are farther away from the capital than the east and west ends. Ex) Chile, lying on the coast of South America. A less extreme example is Italy which extends more than 700 miles from northwest to southeast. Compact States Nodal shape, where distance from center does not vary significantly Ideal shape is a circle Usually benefits from better transportation and communication Is as likely as any country to experience war A compact state with a circular shape is the easiest to manage.

Usually has the central government closer to the center of the state in order to have an equal distance to every part of the state. Mathematically, if the central government is positioned in the middle of the state, then the distance from the center to the edges (radius) is the same for every part of the edge; therefore, the power of the government is evenly distributed. Ex) Belgium is an excellent example because of the cultural division between Flanders and Wallonia within Belgium. Easier to defend than states of other shapes. Example: Poland, Kenya Perforated States A state that completely surrounds another state: South Africa Country that is surrounded (Lesotho), depends almost entirely on the surrounding country for transportation and the import/export of goods Example: Italy, South Africa Ex) South Africa, which completely surrounds Lesotho. The country that is “landlocking” another country The surrounded nation can only be reached by going through one country. If there is hostility between the two nations, access to the surrounded nation can be difficult. Italy is also a perforated state.

Prorupted States Shape: Compact state with a projecting territory Projecting territory may help give country a resource or access to sea Can separate two states to keep them sharing a boundary The projecting territory of Democratic Republic of Congo was made by the Belgians to give the state, then a colony of Belgium, access to the Atlantic Ocean Example: Democratic Republic of Congo, Thailand Landlocked Lacks a direct outlet to the sea because completely surrounded by other countries. Direct access to ocean is critical because it facilitates internal trade, so it must depend on other countries for access. So if the surrounding countries are at war with the landlocked country, then the landlocked country would have a great difficulty in trading goods. Ex) Botswana is 1 of 14 African states that are landlocked.

Question: Lesotho is surrounded by which other country?
Answer: South Africa